Americans favored in opener vs. Belgium

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2000 | 10:23 a.m.

Who: United States, Belgium, Czech Republic and Spain in Fed Cup semifinals

Where: Mandalay Bay hotel-casino

When: Today-Saturday

Wednesday's schedule: U.S. vs. Belgium, 4:30 p.m. Best-of-3 format

Tickets: Individual tickets are priced at $15, $35, $55 and $75 and can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay Theatre Box Office or by calling (877) 632-7400.

TV: ESPN2 (Ch. 31) will broadcast all four days of play.

Belgian Fed Cup captain Ivo Van Aken put on his best poker face before answering whether he was confident his team would be able to upset the heavily favored Americans on Wednesday afternoon in a semifinal tie at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

"I think it's a question of having a good strategy, a good match play and then look on the court -- what's going to happen there," Van Aken said Monday afternoon.

But he couldn't contain his laughter while discussing what the team's strategy would be against No. 2-ranked Lindsay Davenport, No. 4-ranked Monica Seles and Lisa Raymond, ranked fifth in doubles.

"It wouldn't be smart to tell the strategy we will have," Van Aken said with a sly smile. "I will tell you after the match and you will see on the court what we will do."

Van Aken wasn't the only member of the Belgian squad who was relaxed and effusive.

The Belgian team is expected to provide little challenge to the defending champion U.S. squad. By the sound of things, someone forgot to tell the Belgians.

In the first match at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Belgium's Justine Henin, 18 and ranked 48th in the world, will take on Seles followed by Kim Clijsters, 17 and ranked 18th, playing Davenport. Belgium's Els Callens and Dominique Van Roost will play Davenport and Raymond in doubles.

"I'm really happy to play against Monica," Henin said. "I've never played against her.

"I think she's in great form now because she was in the finals of the Masters (the Chase Championships), but I think I have a good game to play against her and I think it will be a good match for me."

Clijsters is 0-1 against Davenport. The two met for the first and only time in the second round of this year's U.S. Open, where Davenport prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

"I'm really looking forward to play against Lindsay on Wednesday," Clijsters said. "I've got nothing to lose.

"I consider my play much more consistent at the moment. Mentally, I'm playing with a lot of confidence."

Van Roost, a Sanex/WTA Tour veteran of nine years, recently announced that she would be retiring after the Fed Cup. Van Roost and Callens won the bronze medal in doubles at the Olympics in September.

"To be part of the team for this semifinal is very exciting for me," Van Roost said. "We have a very strong team and a lot of chances to play very well against the United States.

"And we have two very big names from the United States, but we have also big names from Belgium so it's a good thing. It's going to be a good match."

The winner of this tie will play the winner of the tie between Spain and the Czech Republic that was played today. The finals will be played on Friday and Saturday.